National Assembly Question Time-Plot of land earmarked for small business development at Anse Etoile |06 March 2013

Speaking during Question Time in the National Assembly yesterday morning, Minister Christian Lionnet said there are also plans to reclaim the bay between the main road and the mentioned playing field to create extra land for the said project and also cater for the needs of the active fishing community in the area.

He said a detailed plan to subdivide the plot of land and organise it in more specific categories is yet to be decided upon as work on the new road alignment which would eventually link La Retraite and Ile Aurore has not yet been finalised.

The ministry is working closely with the Seychelles Land Transport Agency to finalise the plan, added Minister Lionnet.

He also informed the Assembly that plans to develop Ile Aurore is still in a planning phase and the ministry together with the SLTA is reviewing long-term road facilities for the island and with other actors reviewing over development aspects of the island.

Minister Lionnet gave these precisions following two questions tabled by the elected member for Anse Etoile Melval Dugasse. He had asked the minister about the government’s plan for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to set up their small business activities in the district itself. Mr Dugasse also questioned the minister about the status of the project development proposed for Ile Aurore which also falls in the Anse Etoile district.

In the same question session, Minister Lionnet also answered several other questions relating the maintenance of government houses and housing projects in different parts of the country.

The elected member for Baie Lazare Wilby Lucas for instance wanted the minister to explain whose responsibility it is to maintain government houses being rented to clients.

Minister Lionnet explained that it is the Property Management Company (PMC) which is mandated under the Property Management Act to maintain and manage government houses in the country.
He further noted that the PMC has two categories of agreements:

- The house purchase agreement where clients have full responsibility to maintain their houses in line with government’s principles to encourage home ownership by Seychellois. For clients bound by this agreement and whose unit forms part of a block of flat, the maintenance issue is guided by the principle of the Condominium Property Act which gives them full responsibility for internal maintenance of their units while the management cooperation which is the PMC takes care of all common areas including grounds surrounding the flats, stairway, water tanks, roofs, sewerage and others.

- The tenancy agreement on which PMC has two specific policies with regard to maintenance of its housing units. For the one-bedroom flats and bedsitters which tenants occupy on a temporary basis PMC has complete responsibility for maintenance.

For all two or three-bedroom flats where clients pay rents with the intention of eventually moving to a house purchase agreement as their financial situation improves, these clients have the responsibility to maintain their houses. This is because the low rent PMC is charging them does not allow it to collect sufficient revenue to take care of any maintenance, Minister Lionnet explained.

In cases where a client under a tenancy agreement has fallen behind with rent payment but the house being occupied requires certain maintenance, Minister Lionnet said depending on the urgency of the maintenance required, PMC will step in to do the necessary repairs but it will at the same time work with the client to ensure arrears in rents are cleared.

The minister stressed that it is important for all tenants to honour their housing agreements in order for PMC to honour its obligations.

Minister Lionnet further added that the PMC has the responsibility for the maintenance of all houses being occupied on a temporary basis by tenants.